Boxoffice-November.24.1951

REFRESHMENT SERVICE
Jnge
A THEATREMAN'S MANUAL
OF
by V.
REFRESHMENT SERVICE
L. WADKINS*
The Successful Way to Buy, Store, Display
And Sell
Dntbrtainment puts people in the
mood for candy, and furthermore they
have two or three hours in which to enjoy
the delicious tidbit which you are going to
sell them.
Place your refreshment stand in the
most advantageous spot possible as refreshments
in theatres are 90 per cent plus an
impulse item.
Cleanliness is a "must" in handling things
that people eat and drink. Keep your candy
counter, popcorn machine and ice cream
cabinet spotlessly clean at all times.
Dressing your candy case is most important.
Every candy bar or box item has
a complement. For example Dots will balance
well In a case with Black Crows,
Mounds with Almond Joys, Fifth Avenue
with O'Henry, etc. By pairing your candy
items in this manner and trimming the
case from both ends toward the middle you
will achieve the desired results.
Display only your best-selling 10c and
above items on top of your candy case as
this can increase your volume in these
items from approximately 19 per cent to as
high as 44 per cent.
USE MASS DISPLAY OF CANDY
The use of back bars showing a mass display
of candy is most beneficial. The back
bar particularly lends itself to the unit
display of chewing gum, Life Savers,
Charms, etc.
Refreshments in theatres are 5c and 10c
business: therefore, we should use the
technique of the jive-and-ten-cent-store
and show mass display.
To prevent your candy from becoming
stale it should be rotated regularly in your
candy case and on your backbar. In
other words, "keep your candy moving."
Sell only name-brand merchandise and
depend upon volume for greater profits.
Trying to sell off-brand merchandise, even
though it carries a higher markup, is poor
merchandising because you do not obtain
the volume as you do with good staple
name-brand items.
Let the customer decide which items sell
best and reorder in the proportion in
which the items sell. Even though about
"Manager ol concession sales and service, Indiana
County Theatres, Latrobe, Pa
Concession Merchandise
47 per cent of all of our candy business is
being done on seventeen items, good merchandising
dictates that we have a wide
variety for our patrons to select from. As a
matter of fact, we are merchandising approximately
130 items and flavors.
A printed candy purchase order form,
enumerating the various Items, is a handy
check list for both the candy girl in ordering
and the manager in checking.
An accumulation of old candy bars
whose wrappers have become soiled or torn
should be thrown away mot given away)
and your inventory marked accordingly.
To keep these odds and ends In your stock
will only take up valuable selling space
and cheapen the appearance of your merchandise.
By throwing these few bars
away and replacing them with fast selling
As one enters the DeSoto Theatre, Arcadia, Fla.,
this attractive "Candibor"' wins immediate attention.
The DeSoto is one of the few theatres in the
country built in ranch type architecture, and this
refreshment area reflects the simplicity and good
taste of the decor throughout the theatre in keeping
with its character. The knotty pine walls and
plaid tile flooring are particularly appropriate.
merchandise we can turn our money several
limes, and more than make up for the loss
of those few bars.
The amount of Inventory carried in stock
should not exceed three weeks' candy business
In your theatre.
The candy inventory is the personal
responsibility of the manager. Just as are
tickets and petty cash. You may designate
your assistant or sales help to lake a
weekly physical inventory, but whoever
takes it .should never know how much your
records call for having on hand. The manager
should personally check this physical
inventory at least every three weeks.
Suggestive selling
does not mean forced
sales. However, items may be .suggested
when the patron seems undecided as to
what to buy. New items should be tried
out as they "freshen up" your stock.
Items selling for over 25c are loss items
with us and should not be carried in stock.
We have proved conclusively that we are
not in competition with any store or stores
outside our theatres. The selling of candy
and popcorn in theatres has tremendously
increased the nation's sales of these items.
A very interesting fact is that one-third
of all the candy bar business done in the
United States is done through theatres,
which represent only two per cent of the
total
outlets.
(Continued on page 44 >
The "Candibor" is fronted by a wide glass show
case trimmed in chrome with black counter space
and glass panels accentuating the beauty of the
wood paneling and green trim. A Manley popcorn
machine was installed Illumination is achieved
within the candy case by the use of fluorescent fixtures.
General lighting is produced by a combination
of direct and indirect units.
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